Mayor of Vancouver2015-03-28T01:13:05Zhttp://www.mayorofvancouver.ca/feed/atomWordPressBraedenhttp://www.mayorofvancouver.ca/?p=38962015-03-28T01:13:05Z2015-03-28T01:13:05ZFollowing a public hearing last night, the City of Vancouver’s by-law for social housing now includes legal requirements for affordability of the units, strengthening the protection of low-income housing in Vancouver.

“By putting firm affordability requirements in place, Council is making sure that more social housing is going towards people on low incomes,” said Mayor Gregor Robertson. “These changes reflect what we heard from hundreds of workshops and community consultations during the development of a new Downtown Eastside Neighbourhood Plan. This is a significant step and one that adds to our work to build and protect affordable housing in Vancouver.”

These changes to the Downtown Official Development Plan (DODP) by-law complete the overall framework for social housing across the downtown. The amended by-law is the final step in enabling more social housing in the Downtown Eastside for low income residents with by-laws now requiring that 30% of the units rent at the shelter component for income assistance. Social housing outside of the Downtown Eastside is required to have at least 30% of units renting to households with incomes below housing income limits as set by BC Housing.

This change builds on other steps the City has taken to create and protect low-income housing in Vancouver, including the 2015 Capital Budget investing a record $61 million into affordable housing, and the creation of a ‘rental only’ zone in the Downtown Eastside Oppenheimer District, to reduce real estate speculation and the loss of low-income housing.

]]>0Braedenhttp://www.mayorofvancouver.ca/?p=38922015-03-25T23:28:03Z2015-03-25T23:27:33ZVancouver City Council has voted unanimously to support a shift toward the city deriving 100% of its energy from renewable sources, as the City of Vancouver nears the half-way mark of the Greenest City 2020 Action Plan.

The motion from Mayor Gregor Robertson directs staff to report back by autumn with a reasonable timeline on which to meet the comprehensive goal, which the City of Vancouver is now the first North American city to establish.

“Cities around the world must show continued leadership to meet the urgent challenge of climate change, and the most impactful change we can make is a shift toward 100% of our energy being derived from renewable sources,” said Mayor Gregor Robertson. “The future of Vancouver’s economy and livability will depend on our ability to confront and adapt to climate change, and moving toward renewable energy is another way that Vancouver is working to become the greenest city in the world.”

The motion follows last week’s call for a nation-wide shift to renewable energy by more than 70 leading Canadian academics, and action by at least 10 other world-class leading cities such as San Francisco, Sydney, Stockholm, and Copenhagen to adopt targets to shift to 100% Renewable Power and/or go fossil fuel free before 2050.

Council also called for increased advocacy for regional, provincial and national governments to support an international agreement that commits to 100% renewable energy sources. Vancouver is also preparing to host renewable energy leaders from around the world for the 2015 Renewable Cities Global Learning Forum from May 13 to 15.

]]>0Braedenhttp://www.mayorofvancouver.ca/?p=38902015-03-25T18:58:48Z2015-03-25T18:58:48ZWe’ve heard from trusted emergency response leaders across our region: Voting ‪#‎YesForTransit‬ will ensure safer roads, safer rides home for our loved ones, and faster response times in any emergency. Help spread the word:

We’ve heard from trusted emergency response leaders across our region: Voting #YesForTransit will ensure safer roads, safer rides home for our loved ones, and faster response times in any emergency.

]]>0Braedenhttp://www.mayorofvancouver.ca/?p=38842015-03-24T18:04:32Z2015-03-24T17:44:42ZThis morning I took part in the City’s annual homeless count. I’m proud that as a City we set an ambitious goal seven years ago to end street homelessness. While I’m disappointed today that we’re not closer to zero than we are, as a city we’ve made progress. No one ever said it would be easy, but I know Vancouverites want and expect us to set important goals and take action.

The projects we’ve invested in have helped save lives, including over 500 units of permanent, interim, and shelter housing added in the last year alone. Interim housing at the Ramada on Hastings now provides warm homes for 40 people. Taylor Manor offers 56 people housing and mental health supports. The Quality Inn on Howe Street is housing more than 100 people, many of whom were homeless in Oppenheimer Park last fall. The 14 sites in partnership with BC Housing are giving hundreds of people safe, permanent homes throughout Vancouver.

These are homes for some of our most vulnerable residents. People on welfare, foster kids, people who deal with addictions and mental illness who would otherwise be on the streets. I’m proud that we’ve enabled homes for them, and the successes we’ve seen are directly related to setting a bold goal and taking action.”

I remain fully committed to building a Vancouver where no one is ever forced to sleep outside at night, both by continued work with our partners and by taking action with every resource at the City’s disposal. We’ve come a long way since 2008, and we’re going to keep following through on what we as a City can do: providing space for shelters, investing in interim housing, and providing land for social housing with the Province.

- Mayor Gregor Robertson

]]>0Braedenhttp://www.mayorofvancouver.ca/?p=38812015-03-23T20:46:52Z2015-03-23T20:46:52ZVancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson is introducing a motion at City Council tomorrow asking the City’s new Renters Advisory Committee to review the provincial Residential Tenancy Act, and provide recommendations to Council on key changes for which to advocate.

More than half of all Vancouver households rent. Vancouver has some of the lowest vacancy rates in the country, with the English Bay West End neighbourhood having a vacancy rate of just 0.7%. 3% is considered a healthy vacancy rate.

“The combination of rising rents and aging rental buildings is putting many families and seniors at risk, and we want to see changes in place to better protect renters in neighbourhoods throughout Vancouver,” said Mayor Gregor Robertson. “While we’ve seen remarkable progress in recent years after decades of inaction – with more than 3,000 new rental units approved under our rental incentive programs since 2012 – more needs to be done to help support renters, especially those on low incomes.”

The City’s new Renters Advisory Committee was recently established to give renters a direct voice at City Hall. The Mayor’s motion directs the Committee to review the RTB and report back with advocacy recommendations to City Council by June of this year.

With Mayor Robertson, the City has taken a number of steps to support renters, including:

the creation of an Online Rental Standards Database, which posts building safety history online

approving more than 3,000 new units of rental housing since 2012 under Rental 100 and STIR, city programs that provide incentives for rental construction instead of condos

approving more than 1,000 new rental laneway homes since 2009

increasing the maximum fine on building owners who violate city by-laws

seeking, for the first time, legal injunctions to force negligent landlords to repair and maintain their buildings

providing financial support to Vancouver’s Rent Bank, which provides short-term loans to renters at risk of eviction

]]>0Braedenhttp://www.mayorofvancouver.ca/?p=38782015-03-04T00:04:11Z2015-03-04T00:04:11ZToday Vancouver City Council approved a new 202-unit rental apartment at Kingsway and 11th, and a 61-unit rental building at 450 Gore Avenue, bringing much-needed rental housing to both the Mount Pleasant and Downtown Eastside neighbourhoods.

“The approval of these two projects is an important step for providing more housing options in a city that is challenging for people on low or modest incomes,” said Mayor Robertson. “Our city benefits from the thousands of rental units built in the 1960s and ’70s, and we urgently need to create new rental housing that fits with our neighbourhoods. These new homes are providing options for students, young families and seniors to live in our city, and we need more of them.”

Both Mount Pleasant and the Downtown Eastside have extremely low vacancy rates; the rate in the Downtown Eastside is 1.1%, and in Mount Pleasant is just 0.8% – the second lowest in the city.

The project in Mount Pleasant was enabled by the City’s Rental 100 program, which provides incentives for developers to build rental housing instead of condos. Continuing the Rental 100 program, which has helped deliver more than 2000 units of new rental housing in the past two years, was a key campaign commitment from Mayor Robertson.

The six-storey rental building on Gore Avenue follows the new Downtown Eastside Plan, which prioritizes new low and middle-income rental housing that fits with the local neighbourhood, and does not displace existing residents. The 61-unit building is being built on what is currently an empty lot.

]]>0Braedenhttp://www.mayorofvancouver.ca/?p=38742015-03-04T00:04:56Z2015-03-03T20:35:48ZMayor Gregor Robertson and City Council approved the City of Vancouver’s 2015 Budget today, a balanced and forward-looking plan that continues strong business discipline at City Hall while making significant investments in key community priorities.

“Vancouver’s 2015 Budget is an ambitious, responsible and community-driven plan that strengthens our communities today and invests in our city’s future,” said Mayor Gregor Robertson. “We heard from Vancouver that residents want their budget to support new affordable housing, better transportation, public safety, improved parks and action to meet our Greenest City goals. The 2015 Budget invests in all of these urgent priorities while keeping taxes low and enhancing City services, and I’m very proud to support it.”

The 2015 Operating Budget of $1.223 billion and Capital Budget of $306 million outline how tax dollars are invested across city departments and the services that residents and businesses receive. Detailed information in this year’s budget includes 210 unique line items (a 94% increase from 2014) and over 250 performance metrics on more than 50 different City services.

With a property tax increase limited to just 2.4%, Vancouver’s property taxes will continue to rank among the lowest of any major city in Canada. Council’s vote to approve the 2015 Budget also follows last week’s upgrade to the City of Vancouver’s credit rating by Standard and Poors, which praised the City of Vancouver for its “strong financial management” and a “very strong economy, low debt burden and very strong budgetary performance.”

]]>0Braedenhttp://www.mayorofvancouver.ca/?p=38702015-02-18T22:02:54Z2015-02-18T22:02:16ZMayor Gregor Robertson and City Council approved a $1 million grant this morning that will help reopen the Bosman Hotel in Downtown Vancouver for affordable housing, providing 100 homes for people on low incomes.

“This project will be a big boost for people on low incomes who call Downtown Vancouver home and are having trouble finding a place to live,” said Mayor Gregor Robertson. “Thanks to a creative partnership with the owner of the building and Community Builders Group, we’re able to utilize the Bosman Hotel and open its doors for people who need housing the most.”

The $1 million grant from the City is part of ongoing investments by City Council to invest in low and modest-income housing. It will allow 100 rooms in the Bosman to be renovated and restored. Community Builders Group has signed a lease with the owner of the Bosman for the next five years to use it as affordable housing.

The City’s Housing Outreach Team will help identify and connect people who need housing with Community Builders Group, as will St. Paul’s Hospital. Community Builders Group will provide on-site staff support to assist tenants. Rents will range from $375 to $600 a month.

]]>0Braedenhttp://www.mayorofvancouver.ca/?p=38662015-02-18T00:26:29Z2015-02-18T00:24:12ZMayor Gregor Robertson is highlighting further engagement opportunities for the City of Vancouver’s proposed 2015 Budget, ahead of a final Council vote on March 3rd.

“Vancouver’s proposed 2015 Budget is an ambitious, responsible, and community-driven plan to keep our city moving forward,” said Mayor Gregor Robertson. “It’s a balanced budget that keeps taxes low while making smart investments in new affordable housing, better transportation, public safety, Greenest City action, and improved parks and public spaces.

“I encourage all residents to take a look and offer the ideas and input we need to keep building an even better Vancouver in which to live, work, and raise a family.”

The proposed 2015 Operating Budget of $1.223 billion and Capital Budget of $306 million outline how tax dollars are invested across city departments and the services that residents and businesses receive. Over 3,150 residents have already been engaged in the 2015 Budget consultation process, in addition to more than 3,000 who were engaged in consultations for the 2015-18 Capital Plan.

Residents can register to speak by emailing mayorandcouncil@vancouver.ca or by calling 3-1-1, and ideas or feedback can also be sent directly to City Finance staff by emailing budget@vancouver.ca

For more details on the proposed 2015 Budget and how residents can contribute further input, please visit vancouver.ca/budget

]]>0Braedenhttp://www.mayorofvancouver.ca/?p=38632015-01-20T20:26:04Z2015-01-20T20:26:04ZVancouver City Council voted unanimously today to support the ‘Yes’ side in the upcoming transit referendum, building support for better transit and roads throughout Metro Vancouver.

“Vancouver is sending a message that we need to do everything we can to ensure the referendum passes, so that we can cut congestion, protect our environment and grow our economy,” said Mayor Gregor Robertson. “With Metro Vancouver’s population increasing by another one million people by 2040, we have to invest in better transit. The alternative is crippling gridlock and traffic congestion that will destroy our region’s livability.”

The motion was introduced by City Councillor George Affleck, which called for City Council to support the Mayor in his efforts to ensure the plebiscite succeeds, and for staff to report back on work underway to build support.

“It’s crucial that Vancouver take the lead to ensure ongoing financial stability and predictability for the region’s transportation infrastructure,” said Councillor George Affleck. “Vancouver’s long term prosperity depends on a ‘Yes’ vote. As we begin the tough campaign for our community’s support for the ‘Yes’ side, we must accentuate the positive outcomes of what is planned.”

“I want to thank Councillor Affleck for bringing this motion forward, and for all of City Council for supporting it,” said the Mayor. “The fact that all of City Council is united in supporting a ‘Yes’ vote sends a clear signal of how important it is that we cut congestion and improve transit, both in Vancouver and throughout the region.”

Metro Vancouver residents will vote on whether or not to invest in better transit and roads through a mail-in ballot from March 16 to May 29th. A Yes vote will support a comprehensive plan that will benefit cities throughout Metro Vancouver with 11 new express buses, more frequent bus service, upgrades to roads, and a new Pattullo Bridge, along with investments in new light-rail in Surrey and a Broadway Subway in Vancouver.